Ornamental character



April 28, 1931. HQENIG ORNAMENTAL CHARACTER Filed Oct. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fIlE l FIE E IIIII/l/IIII/IIIIIIII l/I/ alllllllllll 9 Y .M mm m N0 .T Z A W.

MM A MA W W April 28, 1931. HOENIG 1,803,114

ORNAMENTAL CHARACTER Filed Oct. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flea--5- WI TN E 55138 I N VENTOR WM Milfozz Hoeng,

Fatented Apr. 28, 1931 rro STATES MILroN HOENIG, orrH LAn nrnIA, PENNSYLVANIA QRNAMENTAL crfanncrnn Application filed. October 25, 1 928. Serial 116,314,938.

My invention relates to ornamental devices and more particularly to letters, characters an designs which may be incorporated in or form ornamental signs, panels and the like.

The object of this invention is to provide letters, characters, designs and the like which are distinctive in appearance, partially selfilluminating and capable of producing unique color effects. q

In carrying my invention into effect, a layer of cementitious material is placed upon a suitable foundation, reflective elements partially embedded in the cementitious material and the unoccupied surface of this material coated or partially coated with suitable coloring material, such as metallic powder, as illustrated by the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragment of a sign, showing one method of carrying my invention into effect,

Figure 2an enlarged fragmentary section on line 22 on Figure 1, e Figure 3 a perspective view of a fragment of a sign constructed in a slightly different manner, and

Figure 4 an enlarged fragmentary section on line 4-4 on Figure 3.

In the form shown in Figures 1 and 2, a foundation piece 5, having the outline of the letter, character, symbol or design to be produced, is cut from suitable material, such as wood, fibre, composite material or the like, and coated with a layer 6 of cementitious material. Glue, shellac, varnish and the like may be used, but I find that a composition of gilders whitening and glue gives better results.

Reflective elements 7, such as pieces of mirrors, are embedded in the cementitious layer and the unoccupied surface of this layer given a coat or a partial coat of coloring matter 8, such as metallic powder. If thecementitious material is given a dark or neutral color, plain glass may be used instead of the mirrors as the cementitious material on the backs of the pieces of glass will cause them to reflect light.

A character or ornament made in this manner is distinctive in appearance and partially self-illuminating even in fading *light. The characters or ornaments may be mounted upon a suitable panel or backing 9'which should be painted or decorated to harmonize with the color scheme of the characters or ornamentsemployed. p

I also find it advantageous to secure the pieces of glass or mirrors in the cementitious layer in such a manner that they extend above the surface of the coloring matter or metallic powder 8 so that light may be reflected from innumerable facets of the powder into their edges and be refracted, thus causing the colors of the powder to be diffused in the glass and by the refraction unique 'color effects produced, particularly if the metallic powder is of two or more distinctive colors, such as silver, gold, red, green, etc. The. reflective elements 7 may be of irregular and assorted shapes, such as those shown embedded 7 i in the surface of the letter N in Figure 1, or cut into regular shapes, such as the elements 7 shown. embedded in the surfaccof the letter E in that figure.-

The form shown in Figures 3 and 4 differs from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 only in that the foundation is not cut the shape of the character or design. Instead, the foundation 10 may also serve as the backing of the panel or sign and the characters or designs so formed by the layer of cementitious material 6 in which ornaments 7 or 7" are embedded and surrounded by coloring matter 8, as previously described. I

When a sign or panel, made according to my invention, is flood lighted or illuminated by border lamps, less than one-half as much light or one-halfas many'lamps are required to properly illuminate it; hen the sign 01 panel is illuminated by border lamps, the v light reflected from the metallic powder into the edges of the reflected elements is refracted much more than when the sign or panel is illuminated byv natural light and considerable areas of the reflective, elements appear to assume the colors of the adjacent metallic powder.

-" While I have illustrated and described my invention as applied to signs, it will be understood that it applies equally to panels, 109

decorations and ornamentations and that modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof and, hence, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise con- 5 struction or application set forth but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairlycome Within thescope of the appended claim.

I claim .1; An ornamental character including a foundation', a layer of cementitious material on the foundation, reflective and refractive ele' V ments secured in the cementitious material and extending above the plane thereof, and

, coloring material having innumerable re fleeting facets adjacent said elements said elements reflecting'incident light and refracting the colors of the adjacent coloring material. V

. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

I MILTON I-IOENIG. 

